The present invention relates to a holder for securing a mop at the end of a handle, a plurality of relatively movable, absorbent strips made of a textile material being clamped between a headpiece and a plate, preferably at an angular displacement relative to one another, essentially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the handle. In this context, in the region where the strips are fastened, the holder has a surface area having a greater length than width. Such mops are used for wet-cleaning floors.
German Published Patent Application No. 19 833 553 describes a mop to be fastened at the end of a broom handle, including a holder to which a plurality of relatively moveable, absorbent strips made of a textile material are attached substantially at right angles to the axis of the handle. The strips are anchored in the holder via a mushroom head, the outer dimensions of which are smaller than those of the holder. The holder and the mushroom head are dome-shaped.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,130 describes a mop, the holder of which widens in a conical manner, the secured strips of the mop being held by a round plate provided with a central winding. In contrast to the conical holder, the plate has a flat design.
Spanish Utility Patent No. U 1,043,526 describes a mop, the holder of which has a corner extending into a point, the holder, starting out from a round, elliptical basic form in the region of the corners, having a straight-lined region over a considerable portion of its longitudinal extension, in the direction of the corner. The holder itself can have a domed design. All of the strips lie in essentially the same direction, without an angular displacement relative to one other.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a mop having an improved operability and suitability for cleaning corners.
The above and other beneficial objects of the present invention are achieved by providing a mop holder having a boundary edge that cooperates with the strips of the mop and is divided into at least two edge regions extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the holder. Without changing the direction of the curvature, the edge regions are curved at a constant or at least sectionally changing radius of curvature. The ratio of the length to the width is at least 1.2 and at most 4, e.g., more than 1.6. The radius of curvature of the edge regions is at least 0.61-fold and at most 4.25-fold the width.
By forming two curved edge regions, the mop may be used independently of its instantaneous position, since the mop is always resting on the curved edge region. As a result of the curvature, the mop may be rotated about a certain angle of rotation, the mop rolling on the holder or the strips attached thereto. This rolling motion becomes more difficult as the angle of rotation increases, since the center of gravity of the mop is raised. It has been determined that the ratio of the length to the width should be at least 1.2 and at most 4, e.g., more than 1.6, to improve operation of the mop.
A corner provided according to one example embodiment of the present invention represents a restriction of the rotation, a significantly higher expenditure of force being necessary to overcome this restriction. Compared to a circular holder, the present holder may be simply and effortlessly used in S-motions, because of the restoring effect of the holder into a central position.
As a result of the boundary edge being capable of having a flattened region at each of the ends bordering the length to avoid acute-angled corners, it is more difficult to tip the mop over from one edge region to the other.
Furthermore, the boundary edge may include corners outside of the ends bordering the length to maintain particular geometries and rolling motions.
Each edge region may include at least one circular segment. Other curves may also be used instead of circular segments if the tendency of the holder to rotate or the positional stability is to be changed.
When both circular segments are in mirror symmetry, operation is independent of the use of a particular boundary edge.
If different degrees of rotatability are to be provided, the curvature of the first edge region may be selected to be greater than the curvature of the second edge region.
The angle enclosed by the tangents positioned at both ends bordering the length is at most 90xc2x0, so that corners typically occurring in structures may also be cleaned.
To increase the radius of curvature, the headpiece may be pulled down at its corners, thereby altogether resulting in a spatial curvature of the edge regions.
To further improve the rotatability of the mop, the holder may be connected to the handle via a tilting joint movable in the longitudinal direction of the holder.
An arrangement may be provided on the joint for restricting the tilting angle of +/xe2x88x9260xc2x0 with respect to the vertical line to the longitudinal axis of the holder. Restricting the tilting angle to +/xe2x88x9225xc2x0 may be particularly advantageous, since, this makes it possible to also lightly wring out the mop in a sieve without the holder significantly deflecting.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the surface area of the plate may be greater than that of the headpiece, thereby causing the plate to project beyond the headpiece on the peripheral side. This arrangement the advantage that the active wiping width is enlarged without increasing the amount of wiping material, particularly of the strips. Furthermore, the force is transferred to the strips of the mop via a hard edge, so that, in addition to wiping, it is also possible to scrape to a certain extent.
To improve the rigidity, the headpiece may include a dome-shaped, e.g., concave, design. An edge may be formed at the junction of the dome-shaped partial sections formed across the edge region.
The edges may be rounded off with a radius between 0.05-fold and 0.25-fold the width of the holder, so that a rolling motion over the corners is possible although an increased expenditure of force is necessary with respect to the rolling motion on the outer edge.
When the corners are rounded off, a ratio of the length to the width of at most 2.4 and of radius of curvature (R) to width (B) of at most 3.38 may also be used, a ratio of the length to the width of approximately 1.8 having been proven to be particularly advantageous. The length of the holder with respect to a length having corners in the region of the ends bordering the length may be between 0.99-fold and 0.6-fold, e.g., between 0.95-fold and 0.85-fold, since in this region, another satisfactory improvement in wiping performance and the operability is achieved, without forming actual corners that could cause damage when the mop is handled inappropriately.